!!!Bundesbahnen, Österreichische, ÖBB

Bundesbahnen, Oesterreichische (OeBB - Austrian Federal Railways, Most 
of the Austrian  Railway system is federally administered through the 
OeBB. Since 1993 the OeBB has been an independent enterprise which is 
subdivided into two parts: "infrastructure" and "turnover", which form 
a joint enterprise. The federal government bears the costs for the 
infrastructure, for the use of which users have to pay. The OeBB is 
divided into various sections: passenger travel, goods transport, 
management services, infrastructure services, planning, and 
engineering.

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Due to the economic structure of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, the 
Austrian rail network consisted of private and state-owned railways. 
In 1882 the state railway system was set up, but for financial reasons 
nationalisation was only gradual. In 1922/23 the OeBB (then called 
BBOe) became an economic entity; the state had sovereign and 
supervisory powers. From 1938 to 1945 the OeBB was part of the German 
Railways. According to the Administrative Transition Act of 1945 the 
OeBB became a state-owned enterprise which was given its present name 
in 1947. Legally, the OeBB has been a privileged authority since 
January 1, 1993, under the Federal Railways Act of 1992.

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After the end of World War II, 41 % of the rail network of 
the OeBB was inoperative, 381 bridges had been destroyed, two thirds 
of the vehicle fleet could not be used. Along with the reconstruction 
of the railway system, the electrification of the rail network was 
continued; in 1945 1,001 km had electric traction (in 1937: 
918 km), by 1963 more than 2,000 km, by the beginning of 
1998 3,418 km. In 1997 around 2.1 billion kWh of electricity 
(single-phase/alternating current with a special frequency of 16.66 
Hertz) generated by 14 hydroelectric power stations (of which 7 are 
owned by the OeBB) were consumed. Additionally, around 
43,000 tons of diesel fuel, 1,400 tons of hard coal and coke 
were burned in 1997. In the same year,  ATS 8.6 bn was invested in the 
railway network: 450 points were renewed, 41 bridges were revitalised, 
297 km of new rails and 253 km of new sleepers were laid.

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The OeBB has shares in the following enterprises: Anlagen-, Bau- und 
Service GmbH, Austria Rail Engineering (consultants), Oesterreichische 
Eisenbahn-, Transport-, Planungs- und Beratungsges.m.b.H., BD 
Gastservice GmbH, Bureau Central de clearing s.c.r.l., CRL Car Rail 
Logistic GmbH, CI & M Werbeagentur GmbH, EC Logistik GmbH, EURATEL - 
European Railway Telecommunications EWIV, EUROFIMA Europaeische 
Gesellschaft fuer die Finanzierung von Eisenbahnmaterial AG, Euro Rail 
Invest Ltd., HIT RAIL B. V., Intercontainer Austria GmbH; 
Intercontainer Interfrigo GenmbH, "KOeB" Kraftwagenbetrieb der 
Oesterreichischen Bundesbahnen GmbH, Niederoesterreichische 
Schneebergbahn GmbH, OeBB Telekom Service GmbH, OeKOMBI - 
Oesterreichische Gesellschaft fuer den Kombinierten Verkehr GmbH & Co 
KG; OeKOMBI - Waggonbetriebsgesellschaft m. b. H., 
Oesterreichische Verkehrskreditbank AG, "Probat" Bahnhof Linz 
Projektentwicklungs GmbH, "Rail Cargo Austria S. r. l.", 
Rail Tours Touristik GmbH, Rail Trans Invest Ltd., STEEL - Stahlwaggon 
GmbH, tele.ring Telekom Service GmbH & Co KG, tele.ring Telekom 
Service GmbH, WELLCON Gesellschaft fuer Praevention und Arbeitsmedizin 
GmbH. The OeBB operates passenger shipping services on Lake Constance 
and on Lake Wolfgang; it is a member of the International Union of 
Railways (UIC) founded in 1922.

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The OeBB is the largest Austrian enterprise for goods traffic, 
international traffic communications and long-distance traffic within 
Austria. In 1997 the number of employees was 55,923; the OeBB has a 
separate health and social insurance system.

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Scientific institutions: Archives for Transport and Communications in 
Vienna (set up in 1897 under the name of "Oesterreichisches 
Eisenbahnerarchiv" (Austrian Railways Archive), since 1947 part of the 
Austrian National Archives), library of the central administration of 
the OeBB in Vienna (130,000 vols., set up in 1896).

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Statistical data as of 1997:

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Track length: 5,672 km

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Vehicle fleet: 717 electric locomotives, 471 diesel 
locomotives, 17 steam locomotives, 355 railcars, 
3,315 passenger cars, 19,528 freight cars

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Passengers carried (in 1,000): 183,897

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Goods carried (in 1,000 tons): 74,347

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OeBB Coach transport (in 1997):

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Passengers carried (in 1,000): 92,561


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